Wildlife - Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks - page 489

moose marshes,

lakeshores
and rivers

at lower elevations in summer, like Willow Flats
(Grand Teton National Park); migrate to sub-
alpine and forests of Douglas fir in winter

Don't corner or approach calves, adult
may kick

pronghorn sagebrush
and grass-
lands

in summer at Lamar Valley near North En-
trance; in winter between North Entrance and
Reese Creek

keep distance of 25yd

wolf forest and

meadows

at dawn and dusk in Lamar and Hayden Valleys don't feed, keep a respectable distance

The small, nimble red fox grows to 3.5ft, weighs up to 15lb and has a brilliant red coat.
Foxes have catlike pupils, whereas wolves and coyotes have round pupils. Foxes favor
meadows and forest edges and are primarily nocturnal. Although widely distributed, the
red fox is not as abundant as the coyote, perhaps because the latter is such a strong com-
petitor.

The gray wolf (also see the boxed text, Click
here ) , aka timber wolf, was once the Rocky
Mountains' main predator, but relentless perse-
cution has reduced its territory to a narrow belt
stretching from Canada to the northern Rock-
ies. Its successful reintroduction continues to
spark much controversy. Wolves roam in close-
knit packs of five to eight animals ruled by a dominant 'alpha' male and female pair. The
alpha pair are the only members of a pack to breed (normally in February), but the entire
pack cares for the pups. Between four and six pups are born in April or May, and denning
lasts into August.
Wolves eat meat only and, in Greater Yellowstone, tend to focus their predation on elk.
Packs communicate via facial expressions, scent markings and long, mournful howls that
can be heard from miles away.

Check out the Yellowstone Journal , with informa-
tion on the park, as well as extensive listings useful
for trip planning and travel within the Yellowstone
region.

WOLF POLITICS

Wolves flourished in the West until the late 19th century, when homesteaders' livestock replaced bison herds.
Poaching and predator control greatly reduced wolf populations and by the 1920s they had become extinct in Yel-